


A Lesson In Balance

by everylosttouch



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: #SaveShadowhunters, Bad Pick-Up Lines, Confident Alec Lightwood, Everyone Is Gay, Fluff and Humor, Late Night Calls, M/M, Magnus Bane is a Mess, References to Canon, Sharing a Bed, They're both so gone for each other, alec is a sweetheart, more fluff than angst I promise, pure fluff, the tiniest speck of plot, this was done for power hour, very little angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-05-31 07:20:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15114506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everylosttouch/pseuds/everylosttouch
Summary: He's late.So late.(Or: Magnus has an interview, the bus is running late, and he falls for an attractive stranger.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i did this for my first power hour fic thread on twitter and hell why not post it here? ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

He’s late. Dear god he’s late.

He had it marked on the calendar and set all the alarms to ensure that he wouldn’t be late for this super important interview. He was able to manage to lock in an interview to one of the biggest fashion magazines in the city, and he was running late.

He takes the quickest shower possible, and puts on his makeup in record time—without somehow smudging his eyeliner. Chairman brushes against his leg just before he’s out the door, and he turns back to put a bit of food in the bowl before rushing out.

The wait for the bus is what drives him insane. It’s so god awful slow and he’s already 5 minutes behind schedule. He taps his foot impatiently, waiting for the bus to make its appearance around the corner.

He’s so antsy, unable to stay still. He pulls out his phone, opening the camera and fixing the rogue strands of his hair that don’t want to stay in place. He looks down, analyzing his well-put together outfit. _Thank god he laid something out the night before_.

As he goes to check Twitter, the familiar exasperated sigh from the bus as it pulls around the corner sounds. He buries his phone in his back pocket, watching as the bus creeps it’s way forward.

 _C’mon I don’t have all morning_ , he thinks.

An eternity later, it pulls up. The doors open and he’s quick to board. It’s only a few stops in between the loft and the magazine office, and he’s hoping that the stops won’t take too long.

Unfortunately, today is not his day. The bus is awfully packed, with no available seating. Which means he’ll have to stand the whole way and try to not get thrown around as the bus stops and starts constantly.

He sighs, taking a hold of one of the grips hanging in the bus. He keeps to himself, taking out his phone once more as the bus doors close and it peels off from the stop. The driver’s music plays oldies while a few patrons in the back make small talk. It’s not too loud otherwise.

He makes it through two more stops like this, and the bus driver is surprisingly punctual with the stop times. They’re on the way to the last stop when it happens.

An unexpected turn of the traffic light causes the bus to suddenly slam on the brakes. There’s gasps all around from the suddenness of the action. Due to his lack of paying attention, Magnus loses his footing immediately, surging forward as the bus slams the brakes.

Unable to stop himself, he falls forward—

Right into one of the other bus patrons sitting closest to him.

He falls rather forcefully, not a bit of grace in the action, and as soon as it happens he’s scrambling up, running apologies and—

_Holy shit._

He locks eyes with the person he fell onto, and he’s met with the most gorgeous hazel eyes he’s ever seen. They’re speckled with greens and golds, and there’s a bit of brown towards the center of the iris and his breath leaves his lungs at those dark lashes that accompany them. It’s complimented by a strong jaw dusted with light stubble and dark brown hair that is slightly unkempt. Magnus blinks a couple of times in response. This is the most gorgeous man he’s laid eyes on.

The hazel-eyed beauty blinks back at him, a lopsided smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Magnus’ heart flutters.

“It looks like you’ve fallen for me,” Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome replies. His voice is deep and rich and _oh_ Magnus is a goner.

It takes him a good minute to realize what the man said and as he processes the words, a faint blush blooms on his cheeks.

“I...um...” he trails, suddenly speechless. “I’m so sorry, I—” He scrambles up, stepping away from the man and pulling at the hem of his shirt distractedly. He can smell the faint scent of the man’s cologne against his clothes, and it fogs up his thought process.

“Don’t worry about it,” the man replies in a cool tone. “After all, it’s not every day I see a man as beautiful as yourself.” Magnus blushes a bit more at that, clearing his throat in attempts to calm his nerves.

He’s being flirted with, that much is true. And he’s being flirted with by such a gorgeous man. Before he can retort, however, the bus rolls to a stop. His stop.

_Fuck._

Magnus glances back at Mr. Hazel Eyes. “Well, this is me...” he trails out, biting his lip. “Again, I’m so sorry for falling for you,” he starts. When the man smiles back at him he suddenly goes wide eyed. “—on you!” He yells out. “For falling on you!”

Dear god and now he’s babbling someone help him please.

Tall, Dark, and Handsome laughs. It’s a rich, throaty laugh that makes Magnus’ toes curl in his shoes.

“Like I said, don’t worry about it,” he states, standing up from his seat. “But if you really want to make it up to me, I’d love to put a name to the face.” Magnus looks back to the stop. He’s got maybe another minute before the bus will pull away.

“Magnus,” he replies, turning back to the man in front of him. “My name is Magnus.” The man’s smile is accompanied by a swift glide of his tongue against his bottom lip. It makes Magnus’ brain short circuit. He noticed those lips move, but no sound reaches his ears.

“S-Sorry what?”

He only smiles back at Magnus. “I said, my name’s Alec.” Alec gives another warm smile to him. “This is my stop but I’d love to talk with you more sometime, if it isn’t too forward of me.”

Alec taps a small card against Magnus’ hands, offering it somewhat shyly. “Feel free to throw it away if you’re not interested,” he adds.

 _Oh no_ —Magnus thinks— _I’m definitely interested_.

He nods. “Thank you. I’ll uh...I’ll talk to you later then.” Alec nods happily at that before he steps away, the musky scent of his cologne hanging in the air between them. With a wave and a thank you to the driver, Alec steps off and out of sight.

 _Did that really just happen?_ Magnus asks himself, looking down to the card.

His eyes widen.

_No way._

In big bold letters is Alec’s full name, phone number and email. It’s a business card, but that isn’t what he focuses on. His eyes zone in on the company name. It’s the same magazine he’s interviewing for.

...oh god.

_The interview!_

Magnus turns around suddenly, only to see that the bus had taken off to its next stop. The building disappearing as they round the corner. He’s going to be late. _So late._

 

~~~~

 

Somehow, he makes the interview with only a minute to spare. He probably looks like a hot mess since he had to run a couple blocks to get here, but honestly, they’re lucky he even made it.

“I’m uh...I’m here for the interview?” Magnus says cautiously as he reaches the front desk.

The woman sitting there greets him with a bright and cheerful smile. “Of course,” she replies. “They’re waiting for you in the office,” she directs, pointing down the hall.

“Best of luck, Mr. Bane,” she says with a wave as he walks down towards the office.

He takes a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves as he nears the door. His hand grasps the handle firmly and with one more deep inhale, he pulls it open.

And what awaits him is truly ironic at most. There he sits, Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome himself, with a coy grin gracing his features. “Welcome to Lightwood Fashions, Mr. Bane,” he greets, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Magnus swallows thickly.

This is going to be interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus is freaking out.
> 
> Just a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHAHA  
> YOU THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A ONE SHOT  
> HAHA
> 
> (really tho it was supposed to but here we are with more cause why not)  
> also, i have no idea the direction this is going i literally spent this last power hour writing this and having no idea what i was going to do lmao

It's a prank.

It has to be. There's no way it couldn't be. There's no way, no possible way that the attractive stranger from earlier could possibly be one of the executives of the company he's trying to get into. No way.

The interview itself goes on without a hitch. Thankfully he's distracted enough by Isabelle Lightwood, the charming head of the company, to focus too much on Alec giving him an amused expression the entire time.

However, once they step out of the interview, it's all fair game.

"You failed to mention that you were one of the executives of this company," Magnus mutters as the two of them step into the elevator. The doors close silently, and Alec presses the button to the ground floor.

"You failed to mention that you were interviewing for my company," he counters back, hazel eyes dipping back over towards Magnus.

Magnus bites his bottom lip nervously, meeting his eyes briefly before turning away. "I think it's actually Isabelle's company, if I'm not mistaken."

There's another chuckle from Alec. "It's a joint effort," he explains. "Isabelle is the main designer, and I'm the one who keeps her from driving her profits into the ground."

Magnus hums. "A numbers man."

Alec nods. "Among other things."

_Jesus Christ._

Suddenly the elevator is a lot hotter, a lot stuffier than before. He tears his eyes away from Alec's form, now finding his shoes interesting.

The great thing about corporate elevators in buildings like this is that they're lightning fast. Before Alec can say anything else, they reach the ground floor, and Magnus steps forward quickly to get out of the elevator.

He's unsuccessful, however, as Alec steps in front of him, effectively blocking him from leaving. Magnus barely manages to stop in time, somehow managing to not bump into Alec. However, in his haste to get out, suddenly he's far closer to Alec than he was on the bus.

If he breathes in just the slightest bit, he can smell the hints of Alec's cologne. It's enticing to say the least, with hints of lemon and bergamot and...a wood tone of some sort?

It's distracting all the same.

Their height difference also doesn't help matters. With the few inches between them, Magnus' gaze is fixated at just the right height to get a full, detailed view of Alec's lips.

And _holy shit_.

Magnus doesn't wax poetry often about anything. He tends to show more than tell, but jesus christ he could go on almost all day describing the subtle details in Alec's face. His lips are a soft pink, contrasting against the dark undertones of his stubble.

They look soft, albeit a bit chapped, and it's surprising just how much Magnus just wants to close the space and—

And those lips are moving, forming syllables that he can't piece together. He probably just looks like and idiot staring at this guy's lips and—

"Did you catch any of that?" Alec asks, words finally making their presence known in Magnus' ear drums.

"Hm? Uh...n-no," he stutters, caught again by getting lost in the beauty of this man. He takes a step back, taking a deep breath to rid of the cologne that still lingers in his nostrils.

Alec keeps a hand pressed to the open door of the elevator, making sure it stays open. "A shame," he starts rather smugly. "I was praising you, Magnus. My sister really seems to think you'd be a good addition to the team."

Magnus has to distract himself from the way his heart stops when Alec says his name for the first time. "R-Really?" he asks a bit breathlessly. "She didn't say anything about—"

"It's a sibling thing, don't worry about it," Alec reassures.

He lets up from where he's pressed against the elevator. "You can expect a call in the next couple of days," he adds as Magnus pads out from the elevator quickly. "Until then, Mr. Bane."

And with that, the doors to the elevator close, but not without Alec giving one more sultry smile towards Magnus.

As the elevator travels back up the building, Magnus turns, going back towards the bus stop on shaky legs.

As soon as he's on the bus, his hands are flying across the keyboard of his phone faster than he's ever typed before.

Catarina, surprisingly is the first person to respond.

 

 

 

He spends the entire bus ride informing Catarina of what happened on the bus and everything after. Needless to say, they're both freaking out by the time he gets back to his apartment.

 

 

 

He didn't even think about that.

_Did Alec even think of that?_

Surely he's aware of possible scandals. He's the numbers man for Christ sake's. Surely he knows how much of a bad idea going out together would be.

Magnus' shoulders slouch at that. Well of course he knows, he thinks to himself as he unlocks his apartment door. He gets a greeting meow from Chairman, who brushes up against his leg endearingly.

Magnus, however, stays lost in thought, tossing his keys into the dish.

Who is he to assume that Alec even wants to go out with him? Maybe he's just flirting for the hell of it, because it's something fun to do. Magnus frowns, flopping against the couch.

But then why would he hand out his number to him and tell him to call?

He digs out the business card Alec gave him from his pocket. Sure enough, it's the standard company business card with his phone and email. Magnus frowns.

 _It's probably just his office phone number_ , he thinks, psyching himself out of it.

He tosses the business card onto the coffee table with a sigh, exchanging it for the TV remote. As he switches it on, Chairman makes another appearance, softly meowing before making his home in Magnus' lap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/the_biconic_mb) or on [tumblr!](https://biconicmagnusbane.tumblr.com/)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus gets a call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay it's a rather short chapter this time but there'll be more to come soon!!!

He gets a call two days later.

He’s hardly expecting it, in the middle of making the sauce for his Italian night with Catarina, Ragnor, and Raphael. Catarina is already there, sipping on some red wine while he finishes cooking.

“Who’s that?” Catarina perks up from the couch, glancing over towards the kitchen.

Magnus sighs out, stepping back from the pot of sauce and bringing the heat down to a simmer. He takes the phone in his hands.

His eyes widen.

“Oh my god!” He yells out, raising his voice suddenly. He clicks off the stove hastily, abandoning the dish towel on his shoulder onto the countertop.

“What? Who is it?”

“It’s the number for Lightwood Fashions,” he says disbelievingly.

“Oh my gosh,” Catarina parrots, standing up from the couch. “Answer it!”

With shaky fingers, Magnus swipes to accept the call.

“H-Hello?”

“Good evening,” a female voice replies. “Is this the number of Magnus Bane?”

“Yes, this is he.”

“Wonderful,” the woman on the other end says with joy in her voice. “My name is Isabelle Lightwood, we met the other day for the interview.”

Magnus' eyes go wide. Isabelle, the head of the company, has just called him. He looks up to Catarina.

As if reading his mind, she rises from the couch, abandoning her wine. "I'll take care of this," she whispers to him. "Go take your call."

He mouths a silent thank you to Cat as he ducks out of the kitchen and walks over to his bedroom, closing the door quietly behind him. "Hello, Ms. Lightwood," he greets finally. "How can I help you today?"

Isabelle laughs on the other end. "Oh no need to be formal. Ms. Lightwood is my mother. Just call me Isabelle. Izzy is fine too," she adds. There's a beat of silence before she starts again. "But I was calling today in regards to your interview a couple of days ago."

"I've been looking over your résumé and qualifications, and I like what I see," she informs. "If you're still interested, we would love to have you come in to meet the staff and sign the proper documentation to become part of our team."

Magnus' legs almost give underneath him as he paces back and forth in the room. They want him in the company. They want him as a designer! His heart leaps in his chest. He'd get to work with the infamous Lightwood siblings and—

 

_Oh._

 

He stops.

 

_Siblings._

He can't believe he forgot. The business card is still gathering dust on his coffee table, and--if he knows Cat well enough--she probably used it as a coaster. He looks down at his feet.

"I'd love to, Ms. —Isabelle," he corrects. "But I need to confess something."

Isabelle stays silent on the other line, and he pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to quell the nervous churning in his stomach. "It's about your brother."

"If you're regarding his attempts at flirting with you, I already know," she states with humor in her tone.

Magnus blinks in surprise. "Y-You know?"

She lets out a full-bodied laugh at that. "Of course I do! I'm his sister after all. It's obvious to me when someone catches his attention."

Magnus stops pacing, trying to collect the thoughts in his head. "And...you're still offering me the job?"

"I am."

"But why?" Magnus questions, running a hand through his hair. "Aren't there like...scandals and stuff that could come up if I went out with your brother?"

Isabelle goes quiet for a moment. He hears the click of a door on the other line. Perhaps she closed the door to her office.

"Normally if you were with any other company, perhaps. But we don't have any policies against dating in the company here," she informs. A huff of laughter soon follows. "If that were the case, I'd be in hot water myself."

Okay, now Magnus is confused.

Isabelle seems to pick up on his confused silence and continues. "One of the models in the company is my girlfriend," she states. "And don't worry, we've dealt with allegations of favoritism before. So regardless on whether or not you take my brother up on his offer, your job is secured."

Magnus lets out a heavy sigh, his body falling onto the plush mattress and golden sheets. He stares up at the ceiling, letting the thoughts swirl in his head, weighing out the pros and cons of taking the job, of having a possible relationship with a higher up. There's a lot of uncertainty, and it doesn't comfort him in the slightest.

And yet...he decides to take a leap of faith.

"Alright," he says with a sign. "When do you want me to come in?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus' first full week begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Done during the second power hour today! There are more social media posts in this one so,,,enjoy c:

The elevator dings, depositing him back to the floor he was on just last week. He gives a smile to the receptionist—Maia, he remembers—before heading into the styling offices. He has just enough time to put his things down before Isabelle’s chipper voice rings out from the doorway.

“Magnus! Perfect timing!” She says with a bright smile. She’s dressed in a beautiful, dark, long sleeved turtleneck dress that accentuates her figure, adorned with a couple of statement accessory pieces. Her hair is done up beautifully as well. In short, she looks flawless as ever.

Her dark eyes roam around the office. “I see you’re making yourself comfortable.”

He looks up, surveying the blank area of his new office. “As comfortable as I can be for the first week of work.”

Isabelle smiles again before gesturing for him to follow her. “Come, I’ll catch you up to speed with our current projects.”

Magnus nods, turning to her and following her down the hallway. All around him, people are bustling about. There are rows of computers with people editing photos and sending emails. There are other sections on the floor that are answering calls from other design companies. Overall, there’s a cheerful bustle throughout the space.

“So we’re gearing up for a big project currently,” Isabelle starts as they walk through the offices. “Some of our designers are going to meet with the _Fashion_ magazine board today to see if what we have is good for their spring lineup. If all goes well, we’ll have a few designs to put up on the runway at the end of the month.”

She comes towards the end of the hall, calling the elevator. They pile in and she hits one of the higher floors.

“Since it’s your first week, I didn’t want to throw you in the deep end with trying to come up with a last-minute design. So today I wanted to do little test shoot and see what looks you can give our models with what we have in our fashion closet,” she says, looking over to Magnus with a smile. “Does that sound reasonable?”

“Yes, of course,” Magnus nods.

The elevator dings almost on cue, opening and depositing them into another hallway. Isabelle walks quickly, soon turning to the large, dark double doors that stand between them and the other room. She tugs on it with little effort, stepping out of the way to let him in.

“Welcome to the photography sessions of Lightwood Fashions, Magnus.”

The room itself is dark, tapered with black curtains and panels over it’s large, towering walls. There are different set ups for the photographers, and there are brief flashes every few minutes. Isabelle strides forward to one of the setups, and stops for a moment as the camera man gives another quick shot of the red-headed girl sitting there.

“Perfect!” He says excitedly, backing away from the camera. He immediately looks towards Isabelle, his dark eyes lighting up. “Izzy, right on time! Do you want to view the photos now, or…?”

Isabelle waves away at him. “I trust you Si,” she replies before turning towards the redhead, who beams up at her. She extends her hand. “Hello darling. Everything going okay?”

The model stands up and walks over to press a kiss to Isabelle’s lips. “It’s perfect.” Her emerald eyes trail over towards Magnus. “And you must be Magnus Bane!” She calls out excitedly. She offers out a hand. “My name is Clary Fray, I’m one of the models here.”

Magnus tenses a bit while shaking her hand. Clary Fray was one of the most famous models under Lightwood Fashions, and—from what he’s heard—is very friendly and kind-hearted. He gives her a smile.

“Lovely to meet you, Ms. Fray.”

Isabelle turns Magnus' attention towards the cameraman. “This is Simon, one of our cameramen on set today. He’ll be working with you and Clary with our little mini-shoot today.” She turns back towards Magnus. “Over on the back wall is most of the items from our fashion closet. Feel free to mix and match as much as you like.”

Her phone chimes seconds later, and she swipes over the notification. “I’ve got to get back downstairs for a meeting. It shouldn’t take too long, but if it runs over, I’ll send someone up to see how you’re doing.” She smiles back at Magnus. “You good?”

Magnus’ apprehension melts away at her question. It’s clear she wants him here, and is ready to see what skills he can put to use. “Yes, thank you Isabelle.”

With a shared nod and another quick kiss to Clary’s cheek, she struts out of the room, closing the door behind her. The business air takes over then, as Magnus walks over to the rack of clothes, combing through what catches his eye.

After a bit of back and forth between outfits, he finally finds one he likes. Clary’s bright red hair is a statement of its own, so he decides to capitalize on it. He plucks neutral colored pieces consisting of black high-waisted jeans, a silk, cream top, and a large fur coat. The makeup artists are already on her, and with a wise word from the head makeup artist, she’s given a bold red lip look.

He decides to finish it off with a dark choker to complete the bold look.

“We good?”

“Yeah,” Magnus agrees, stepping back. Once he’s out of frame, Simon flashes the camera, giving stage and pose directions to Clary, who does exactly as he says.

Simply, she’s a natural.

 

 

But there’s something about the look that pulls at him. Though it’s striking, he feels like it could use another touch. His eyes drift away from the shoot and over to the fashion rack.

That’s when he sees it.

Simon clicks another couple of photos before stepping back, turning to Magnus who rushes back over to him. “Let’s try this,” he offers, holding a black hat in his hands.

Simon blinks in surprise. “By all means,” he gestures towards Clary.

He pads back over to Clary, handing her the dark hat. He places it on her head, making sure it’s angled so that it will still show her gleaming features yet provide enough contrast against the background to make a statement. Once satisfied, he pulls away.

 

 

“She looks stunning.”

Magnus jumps out of his skin at the deep voice that coos out behind him. He turns quickly, only to be faced with no one other than Alec Lightwood himself. He’s in a bold red blazer today with a plain white button up and black jeans.

Magnus forces his gaze away from those jeans, which seem sinfully flattering to Alec's figure. He drags his eyes back up to Alec's, who looks at him smugly.

"How did you know I was up here?"

Alec gives a halfhearted shrug. "Isabelle sent me up," he states whilst fishing out his phone from his pocket. "And I got a couple of pictures from Simon."

Magnus looks back over his shoulder to see that they're still taking pictures. Clary has shrugged off the coat from her shoulders, and takes some photos in a few more positions.

He looks back to Alec. "And?" He prompts. "What do you think?"

Alec's eyes flick off from Magnus towards the shoot. He gives a slight smile. "I think we were right to have you on our team," he compliments, settling his gaze back to Magnus. "You're quite a catch."

Magnus is thankful for the low lighting behind the camera, because he's sure that if they were in any other room, his red face would be that much more apparent. It's obvious that Alec's flirting from before was not just a one-time thing, he muses.

Magnus takes in a deep breath, squaring his shoulders a bit before letting a smirk of his own slip out. "You're not so bad yourself," he counters.

That pulls a deep chuckle from Alec, making Magnus' toes curl in his shoes once again. It fizzles out a moment later, and in turn Alec takes a step closer to Magnus, closing the couple feet of space between them.

It's then that he gets another hint of that enticing cologne from the last time he saw Alec. It's just as dizzying and disorienting as before.

Alec comes forward to pick off a stray piece of lint on the cusp of Magnus' lapel.

"Now if that were true, I would've gotten a call," Alec muses playfully, though Magnus can sense the hint of vulnerability in the actions and words. His hazel eyes meet Magnus' once again. "If I'm being too forward, just tell me and I'll stop."

Magnus' breath catches in his lungs.

_Fuck._

The call. He totally forgot about the call. He meant to call Alec after getting the call from Isabelle over the weekend.

_But he didn't._

The business card is still probably on that damn coffee table.

"Oh my god," he breathes out. "No, Alec, I didn't mean to—I meant every word of what I said on the bus, I'm very much interested in you and you're very attractive and—" He cuts himself of there, realizing he's rambling and _dear god did he just say Alec looked attractive?_

Alec's eyes widen a bit at his ramblings, taking in everything he said. "So...you're interested in me?" He asks. "But not interested enough to call, right?"

"No," Magnus disagrees, shaking his head. "I was just...nervous. You're just so..." he trails off, gesturing to Alec.

Alec quirks a brow. "So...?"

_Is he really going to make Magnus say it out loud?_

Magnus bites his lip, a prominent flush probably making his home on his face. He looks back at Clary, making sure they aren't paying attention. They aren't.

He turns back towards Alec, who looks at him as if he has no idea what Magnus will say next.

He lets out a harsh sigh.

"You're absolutely gorgeous," he mutters, biting his lip. "And I'm just—"

"Absolutely stunning," Alec cuts in, leaning closer towards Magnus. The slight hints of his cologne are more prominent now, and Magnus suddenly can't look at his eyes, which are probably hooded and transfixed on his face.

Looking down doesn't seem to help either, as the button down he's wearing is unbuttoned just so to see a hint of dark chest hair peeking from the shirt. Before he can think anything of it, he reaches out to button another button, hiding away his distracting body.

"Fine," he grits out, though there isn't malice behind any of it. "I'll call you tonight if you promise to keep this...damn shirt buttoned. It's distracting."

Surprise glistens in Alec's eyes at the action, but it soon fades to a more endearing look. "Alright, I can keep that promise," he agrees. He lifts up a hand, brushing the back of his fingers gently against the planes of Magnus' cheeks. "I'll be looking forward to your call."

Goosebumps skitter across Magnus' skin at the action, and all too soon, Alec pulls away from him. He turns to see that Simon and Clary have wrapped up with the shoot, and have fallen into casual conversation.

"I'll leave you to it then," Alec chimes. "Keep up the good work, Mr. Bane."

And with a wink, he turns, soon disappearing out the door.

As soon as he's out the door, Magnus' phone pings in his pocket.

 

 

Right on cue, he hears Clary's cheerful giggle behind him.

Closing his eyes, he lets out a deep sigh.

_It's going to be a long day._


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus decides to give Alec a call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmao this is wAY LATE omg  
> tbh i had no idea what i was going to do in terms of the call, so figuring out what i was going to do was half the battle
> 
>  
> 
> ~~(I also started this fic thread way late into power hour but its fine)~~

Magnus has possibly the worst timing in the history of humanity.

It’s a bit obvious of a statement, considering he had been running late a couple weeks ago for his interview, missed the bus stop, barely made it in time on his first day, and kept Alec—his insanely attractive boss—waiting for a call all week.

This time was no exception to that.

“Hello?”

The voice that greets Magnus on the other line is groggy, thick with a grittiness and baritone that makes a shiver run up his spine. He swallows thickly.

“H-Hi. It’s uh…it’s me,” he starts lamely. He squeezes his eyes shut shaking his head side to side. “I mean, it’s Magnus. From work?”

He really didn’t need to elaborate. Magnus is sure he’s the only one at Lightwood Fashions with the name Magnus.

“Magnus?” There’s a shift on the other line, and a distant click, followed by a groan that has Magnus biting his lip, suddenly trying to focus on everything and anything that is not that sound.

A sigh follows.

“Magnus, it’s 3am.”

Magnus looks down at his lap, to the duvet that bunches around his hips. He bites his lip, running his hands through the long strands of his hair that hang loosely against his head. He sifts through the silky locks, eventually making it to the shaved hairs at the nape of his neck. He scratches it nervously.

“Y-Yeah, I guess it is…isn’t it?”

It’s silent for another beat, and for a second Magnus thinks Alec might have gone back to sleep. He’s about to end the call when—

“Is something wrong?”

Magnus swallows thickly. He _really_ shouldn’t be opening a can of worms with his boss at 3am, especially when they haven’t even gone out on a single date yet. He lets out a shaky exhale before starting. “I’m fine.”

“Really?” Alec perks up. If it were any other moment, he’s sure Alec would be wearing a teasing look on the other end of the line. But right now, his tone sounds strangely serious. “Your voice is wavering.”

_Damn it._

Magnus squeezes his eyes shut, pinching at the bridge of his nose. “It’s stupid,” he starts. “You’re going to laugh at me if I tell you.”

“Magnus,” Alec calls out softly once more. There’s assurance and endearment in his tone, and it soothes Magnus’ shaking hands just a small bit. “I won’t laugh at you. I promise.”

Normally when people have said they wouldn’t laugh, he’s received giggles and muffled laughter nonetheless. Yet with Alec on the other line, his voice sound so sincere and so comforting that Magnus thinks maybe, just maybe, there’s one person in the world that won’t laugh at him for it.

“I…I had a nightmare,” he breathes out finally, words soft in a whisper.

Immediately he regrets the words. They sound childish, like he’s suddenly a 5-year-old crying to his parents about scary dreams. He’s 30 now, well beyond the years of calling on someone to drive the demons away. Perhaps that’s the downside of adulthood, having to face the demons yourself.

“What was it about?” Alec asks gently.

_Nope,_ Magnus thinks. They haven’t so much as made a move about dating for Magnus to even disclose this. He’s pretty sure telling Alec in every scenario may as well get him fired.

He shakes his head. “I don’t remember,” he lies.

There’s a hum from Alec before he speaks up again. “So you called at 3 in the morning to tell your boss you had a nightmare that you don’t remember? I’m sorry Magnus, but after working with you for a while, I know you well enough to know that something’s wrong.”

Magnus curses under his breath, leaning back so he lies against the plush mattress. He stares up at the ceiling, hoping that it may spell out an answer for how to reply.

Alec beats him to it.

“You don’t have to give any details if you don’t want to,” he offers. “I guess that was out of turn for me to ask, right?”

Magnus sighs. “It’s fine, Alexander. It’s just…a sensitive subject I guess.” He closes his eyes, focusing on the sound of Alec’s steady breathing on the other line.

“Alright, that’s no problem,” Alec’s voice echoes out in understanding. There’s no anger or hostility in the statement, and Magnus is almost at a loss. On any other occasion, there’s always been a demand to know what’s wrong, what causes these nightmares. It’s always followed by an abrupt end to a call or a door slammed in his face.

“You…you aren’t mad?”

“Why would I be?”

Magnus draws the phone away from his ear, giving it a questionable look before pressing it back to his ear. “You know it’s 3am, right?”

There’s a silent huff of low laughter. “Yes. It is. So?”

“ _So_ I just woke you up to tell you I had a nightmare like some sort of scared child, and then failed to give you any details,” he says back. There’s an undertone of anger lingering in his voice, laced with the confusion. “Aren’t you mad at me for that?”

Alec’s chuckling on the other line leaves an odd feeling swirling in his chest. He wants to cry, whether or not it’s from confusion, or anger, or from the after effects of his nightmare, he doesn’t quite know.

“Well,” Alec starts up once more, “I _did_ say I was looking forward to your call.”

And that does it. That breaks the floodgates, and Magnus’ vision is blurred by tears, accompanied by shuddered gasps of breath as he cries on the line. He’s pretty sure he sounds like a complete idiot to Alec.

But Alec stays silent, not snapping at him to quiet down or to stop crying. His crying carries on for a while—possibly too long—but Alec doesn’t give one complaint. As Magnus’ crying subsides to harsh sniffles and drying tears, Alec perks up again.

“Magnus?”

“Y-Yeah?”

“I know this is going to sound forward of me, and feel free to say no, but—” There’s another shift of fabric on the other line, and Magnus can hear the distant patter of Alec’s bare feet against the floor. “Could I come over?”

Magnus’ eyes snap open in surprise. “What? W-Why?”

“Ah, well...” Alec trails. “It’s kind of unfair I guess. You’ve been crying, and it’s killing me knowing I can’t be there to hold you.”

Magnus can feel his cheeks warm all at once, and he’s sure his face probably looks similar to a tomato. He begs for his voice to comply, to not sound completely wrecked by tears and emotions he can’t handle. “B-But…we haven’t even been on a date yet. You shouldn’t have to deal with my emotional baggage before we even start dating. I mean—if you even _want_ to go out with me. I shouldn’t assume—"

“Magnus,” Alec calls out, stopping his babbling. He can hear the small smile in Alec’s voice. “I like you. Quite a lot actually.” He chuckles. “I really would’ve liked to say it to you in person, but I enjoy spending time with you, Magnus. And right now, there’s nothing more I want to do than to come over and be with you.” He takes in a deep breath, and—for the first time since they’ve met—Magnus can sense the nervousness in Alec’s tone. “So could I?”

Magnus bites his lip, closing his eyes as he shifts under the duvet once more. It’s rather cold tonight, and he thinks that having someone to hold could help warm his shivering frame. With a hint of a smile, he replies.

“I’ll text you the address.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We'll see a bit more malec goodness in the next chapter! ;)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec comes over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alright y'all
> 
> prepare for a full chapter of pure, tooth-rotting fluff :)

Alec must live close, Magnus thinks, because there’s no other explanation as to how quickly he got here.

It’s been approximately 10 minutes since Magnus texted Alec his address, and the knock at his front door is a bit startling to say the least.

Magnus takes a deep breath, rising from the couch he’d been snuggled on and padding over towards the door. With a yawn, he unlocks the door, opening it to reveal Alec’s tall frame taking up the space of his doorway.

He’s dressed for the cold of the night, with a patterned knit scarf around his neck and a dark, heavy coat sitting atop his shoulders. His hair is unkempt, more so than usual. Despite dressed for the cold, Alec’s tired hazel eyes glow back at him; concern delicately laces itself into the warm tones of his eyes, expression softening as he meets Magnus’ gaze.

“ _Alexand—_ ”

He isn’t even able to say Alec’s full name before Alec steps forward, closing the space between them instantly. His arms come up, wrapping around Magnus’ broad frame. One hand rests near his ribs while the other rests on his shoulder blade, moving gently across the surface in comfort. He buries his face into the crook of Magnus’ neck; and Magnus can feel the careful, warm puffs of breath against his skin.

It gives him goosebumps all the same.

Alec gives another subtle, gentle squeeze to Magnus’ frame before he pulls back, eyelashes fluttering against pale cheeks tinted pink from the cold.

“Hi,” Alec breathes out, smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Magnus bites his lip, tearing his eyes away from Alec’s lips. “Good evening, Alexander.”

“Shouldn’t it be ‘Good morning’?” Alec quips back teasingly. The comment earns a harmless glare from Magnus, sending a lighthearted chuckle through Alec’s chest. As it dies out, he nods towards the interior of Magnus’ apartment. “May I?”

“Oh, yes, of course!” Magnus stutters, stepping out of the way and opening the door a little bit more. Once Alec takes a full step into his apartment, he closes the door. “Can I take your jacket?”

“Hm? Oh. Yeah,” Alec says, unwinding the scarf from around his neck and unbuttoning the few front buttons before shrugging off the coat.

It’s then that Magnus realizes Alec is still in his pajamas.

Or at least…that’s what it looks like. He didn’t notice before, but the baggy, red plaid sweats and dark oversized pullover sweater paired with his frazzled hair and tired eyes shows just how quickly Alec came over. He drapes Alec’s coat on the coat rack by the door, eyebrow quipping up inquisitively. “Are you still in your pajamas?”

Alec flushes bright red then, and it’s perhaps the first time Magnus has seen Alec blush like that. His eyes dart down to his clothes, fingers nervously fiddling with the hem of his sweater.

“Y-Yeah, I am.”

“You really came in a hurry, didn’t you?” Magnus asks. Alec nods. “Why rush?”

Alec chuckles under his breath at that, carding his fingers through his unruly hair. He scratches at the shorter strands at the nape of his neck. “Because,” he starts, “I wanted to see you again.”

And this time, it’s Magnus’ turn to blush, looking down to his bare feet and his painted black toenails that match his overly-baggy pants that pool on the hardwood floor under him.

With a loss for any other words, he lets out a whispered “Oh.”

There’s another beat of silence between them, and it reigns heavy on Magnus’ shoulders. Alec looks around the apartment, which is a large studio layout. His gaze wanders across the back wall where the windows are, curtains parted ever-so-slightly to let the moonlight cast its rays against the plush surface of Magnus’ couch. He’s set it up so that the studio apartment feels much like an apartment with multiple rooms, with the bedroom sectioned off with a bookshelf of various trinkets, books, and photos.

“So ‘Alexander’ huh?”

Magnus blinks up at him in surprise, noting that his usual smug and flirty expression has returned. He flushes. “Huh?”

Alec steps closer towards Magnus, and though the usual fragrance of his earthy cologne is gone, there’s a crisp smell of mint that tickles his nose. “You called me ‘ _Alexander_ ’ just now,” he states, eyes falling down to his lips for a long, drawn out moment. “You also said it on the phone too, if I’m not mistaken.”

Magnus bites the corner of his lip as Alec’s gaze doesn’t lift from his lips. His toes curl against the hardwood floor anxiously. “I’m sorry,” he apologizes. “I can stop if you want me to.”

“Don’t,” Alec replies quickly. He steps closer—impossibly so—and Magnus can feel the wall press against the planes of his back. Alec lifts a hand, gently caressing the back of his fingers across the soft skin of Magnus’ cheek. “I quite like the way it sounds when you say it.”

Okay, now he’s _sure_ he probably looks like a tomato now, despite the low lighting of the lamps in his living area lighting up the room. Goosebumps skitter across his skin at Alec’s movements, and he can’t stifle the small gasp of breath as Alec’s knuckle brushes the corner of his lip slightly.

His eyes drop to Alec’s lips again.

_No,_ he thinks. He can’t kiss Alec. They haven’t even talked about their relationship, whatever it may be. Alec did say on the phone that he liked Magnus, but didn’t say anything about dating or—

“Magnus,” Alec coos softly, voice a hushed whisper. It jolts Magnus from his thoughts, eyes locking with Alec’s once more. There’s a small smile from Alec. “There you are. I thought I lost you there.”

“S-Sorry,” he stammers. “I guess I just got lost in thought.”

Alec’s smile molds into a frown, dark eyebrows creasing together. “Was your nightmare really that bad, dearest?”

Magnus’ heart stutters at the nickname as he shakes his head. “No. It’s just…I was thinking,” he starts, gesturing between them vaguely. “About us.”

There’s a flicker of anxiousness that crosses Alec’s face. Magnus cringes inwardly, realizing that his somber sounding tone makes it sound like Magnus isn’t glad that Alec is here; which is far from true. Magnus shakes his head.

“Wait, no _—_ that’s not _—_ ” he stops, cutting himself off as he scrunches his nose in frustration. “I just—” He sighs, looking back up to Alec. “What are we?”

Just when he doesn’t think they can get closer, Alec dips down, the tip of his nose brushing slightly against Magnus’. The teasing glint in his eyes and the humor in his tone are gone, replaced with something that seems far more vulnerable.

“I meant what I said before, Magnus,” he whispers softly. “I like you, a lot. From the minute we met, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.” Magnus can feel the nervous intake of breath and his heart does somersaults as Alec licks his lips nervously. “You’re positively captivating, Magnus Bane, and I’d love to go out with you, if you’d have me.”

There’s only half a second before Magnus pulls at the front of Alec’s sweater, closing the last few centimeters of space and slotting their lips together. There’s a moment of shock from Alec, but it dissipates quickly. He hums quietly against Magnus lips, hands carefully caressing the crook of his neck. The rest of the apartment is blissfully silent, with only the sounds of their muffled sighs and tentative kisses ringing out in the space.

It’s then that Magnus realizes that the action isn’t actually an answer. Taking a deep breath, he forces himself to part from Alec’s enticing lips. He doesn’t let the somersault his heart does when Alec’s lips chase after his go unnoticed before he forces his eyes up, getting a full view of Alec’s beautifully flushed face.

“There’s nothing more I’d want than to go out with you, Alexander,” he breathes out, hands releasing their grip on the front of Alec’s sweater.

“G-Good,” Alec stammers out, licking his lips yet again. His eyes can’t stay trained in one place, as those golden hues roam over all of his face. “I-I mean…I’m glad you do. Cause for a minute I thought that you were—” He cuts off his stuttered blabbering, biting his lip as a wide smile spreads across his face. He steps back for a minute, putting about a foot of distance between them. “Come on,” Alec beckons, intertwining their fingers together as he peels Magnus away from the wall. “Let’s get you to bed.”

He leads Magnus over towards the bedroom, taking him back to the sheets he had abandoned, laying bunched up in a forgotten heap.

“Which side do you sleep on?”

“The right,” Magnus replies hesitantly. Alec takes that moment to unlatch his hand from Magnus’ before walking over to the right side of the bed and making it up, fluffing the pillow a bit and making it look far more inviting than it did before. Though his heart aches a bit from Alec letting go of his hand, it melts at the sweet gestures he’s doing for him.

Once Alec finds it sufficient, he looks back up, beckoning him forward with a smile. Magnus takes a few careful steps forward before Alec’s reaching out again, brushing his fingers against Magnus’. The touch is electric each time.

“I’ll turn off the lights,” Alec offers when Magnus finally settles down in the bed. He tears away from Magnus once more and soon the apartment is darker than before with just the stray beams of faint moonlight casting through the curtains. Alec appears again a second later, crouching by Magnus’ side. “Better?”

Magnus nods slightly and Alec leans over to press a kiss against Magnus’ forehead.

“Get some sleep now, okay?”

Magnus lifts his head from his pillow at Alec’s statement, brows creasing together in confusion. “You’re not staying?” He asks meekly.

Alec blinks in surprise. “D-Did you want me to stay?”

Magnus reaches out from the sheets to pull at the hem of Alec’s sweater. He wills himself to be brave, letting his vulnerable gaze travel up to meet Alec’s. “Please?”

And _oh_ , there’s no way Alec can say no to that, not with the way that Magnus looks at him or the way that his small ‘please’ wavers just the tiniest bit. He nods to Magnus, walking over to the left side of the bed and pushing away the covers. He goes to wrap his fingers around the hem of his sweater, but stops short.

“Is something wrong?” Magnus asks, sitting up slightly. Concern floods his features.

Alec flushes a bit. “I uh…I just—” He looks down to his sweater. “I don’t typically sleep with a shirt or anything so…”

And the thick silence returns. Alec flushes under the moonlight before shaking his head once more. “Y’know what? It’s fine, I can still sleep with it on,” he backtracks, sliding down to situate himself under the covers. As he goes to lie down, Magnus stops him. “Magnus?”

Magnus looks down at Alec’s sweater as if it’s done something vile. He shifts closer, leaning close as his hands brush against the hem. “What kind of host would I be if you’re not comfortable?”

Alec flushes again, and Magnus swears it’s a deeper red than before. He blinks nervously before letting out a breathy _okay_ , fingers wrapping around the hem of his sweater.

Magnus holds his breath as Alec pulls it up over his head and shoulders.

_Holy shit._

Breathing seems absolutely impossible at the sight of Alec’s chest. He’s only had the pleasure of seeing Alec in his work attire, which is usually falls along the lines of a suit or some other dress shirt. Never has he seen him like this.

As Magnus pulls himself from his thoughts, he notices Alec’s blush has spread down to his neck, gaze casting away as Magnus stares at him.

Everything about his posture screams insecurity.

“Alexander,” Magnus coos, fingers brushing across the warm skin of his shoulders. “Relax. We’re just going to go to sleep, that’s all.”

The statement is for the both of them, Magnus thinks, willing himself to keep the both of them from crossing any lines too quickly. With a small smile, he lies back down, hoping that it will encourage Alec to do the same.

It does.

Magnus can’t help but smirk at little as Alec lies down next to him. “And here I thought it’d take at least 2 dates before I got you in my bed.”

The joke seems effective at relieving Alec’s tension for a moment as Alec’s frame starts to shake as he lets out a full-bodied chuckle. The corner of his eyes crinkle as his lips pull up to reveal that million-dollar smile. A moment later, it subsides, but his smile persists.

His eyes flicker down to Magnus’ lips again suddenly, and his smile falters. The corners of his lips turn down before the smile falters completely, exchanged for a nervous expression.

“C-Can I…Can I kiss you again?”

Magnus’ breath hitches again at statement, but he nods all the same. He shifts just a bit closer so that he can feel the heat radiating from Alec’s skin. There’s no words this time, just silence and stares that seem to communicate everything they can’t say. With one last breath, they close the space between them once more.

The kiss is chaste and perfect; Alec’s lips don’t press to hard against his, nor do they barely brush. There’s just enough pressure to know that he isn’t as scared this time. As Magnus sighs against his lips, Alec’s pulls away from the kiss slightly, only to go back in for another, moving his lips languidly against Magnus’.

And honestly, the feeling is heaven.

His kisses and gentle touches are paired in such a way that has Magnus shivering for reasons unassociated with the cold. He threads his fingers through Alec’s hair gently, loving the way that Alec sighs against his lips.

It’s pure, unadulterated bliss.

Seconds, minutes, _hours_ later, Alec pulls away just enough to rest his forehead against Magnus’. His breathing is a bit heavier, and the contrast of pink flooding his cheeks and the thick, long eyelashes have Magnus biting back a smile. His eyes flutter open a moment later, basking Magnus in a warm summer sun he feels like he’s missed out on all his life.

 “So you’ll really go out with me?” Alec asks, tone just the slightest bit deeper than before.

Magnus smiles endearingly at him. “Really,” he says in certainty.

Alec smiles then, closing his eyes as he slides closer to Magnus. They huddle under the duvet, sharing small smiles and giggles and loving the way they slot together under the covers. They exchange a multitude of kisses: each one leaving Magnus completely breathless. There’s no passionate heat to their actions, not tonight.

But it’s not passion he needs right now.

It’s warmth.

And as Alec presses a careful, lingering kiss to Magnus’ lips one last time, he whispers sweet nothings into the silent air around them, making Magnus giggle and laugh slightly. Perhaps Alec is magical, for here he is fighting off the demons of Magnus’ mind like it’s his job.

Eventually, sleep tugs at the both of them. As Alec's soft snores soon ring out in the small space, Magnus burrows himself in the crook of Alec's neck. Enraptured by warmth, it's hard for Magnus to think that he had ever lived without this.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after. The demons are gone, and an angel has found their way into his bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh fuck
> 
> it's been a hot second wHOOPS  
> i'm not dead! uni started up again and thus my writing time has been really cut down cause of it yikes  
> also: this is no longer a twitter fic? like i haven't really participated in power hours recently, and tho this was a power hour fic i decided to write this outside of that. This is just kind of a fluffy lil thing that i like to write and update when i can
> 
> as such, i hope you enjoy the update!

For a minute, he thinks that it’s the weekend.

The morning is warm, with rays of sunlight peering through the curtains. They illuminate the apartment, making the space shine in various golden hues. The duvet is also warm, bathing him in a comforting heat that’s so addicting and alluring, he doesn’t want to get up.

When the sheets shift slightly, a sudden pang of cold shoots up his spine. Suppressing a shiver, he huddles closer to the source of warmth. He breathes in gently.

_Mint._

It’s a sharp, cold scent, a direct antithesis from the warmth of the room. It startles him awake, and he blinks away the haze clouding his eyes. The light is bright, and he seethes as his eyes adjust, focusing in on—

_Oh._

_Right._

How could he have forgotten? How could he have possibly forgotten how Alexander came over at 3 in the morning, holding him and kissing him silly?

His stomach gets butterflies just thinking about it.

Magnus’ eyes lift from Alec’s collarbone, up the expanse of his neck to focus on Alec’s relaxed features. There’s no coy, no smug grin spread across his face. Instead, he’s completely relaxed, with dark eyelashes resting against his pale skin. His mouth is open too, only slightly, and his breath comes out in gentle, steady puffs. Every now and again, there’s a more nasal intake of breath.

Snoring.

 _Alexander snores,_ he realizes, a soft smile spreading across his lips. He could sit there all morning starting at Alec, memorizing every dip and curve and freckle that graces his features. But he’s shocked out of his staring when one of Alec’s arms shifts, his bare skin brushing against the fabric of Magnus’ shirt. The hem of his shirt lifts slightly as Alec moves, revealing a patch of sensitive golden skin just above his hipbone. Alec’s fingertips brush against the spot, and the touch sends a slight shiver of arousal through his body.

Alec grips on Magnus’ hip in his sleep, gently pulling him closer. The scent of mint grows sharper, cutting off all sensible thought. Alec groans under his breath before settling against the warmth of Magnus’ body. He’s flush against him now, touching practically from head to toe. Magnus suppresses another shiver when Alec’s heavy breath pulses in the crook of his neck.

When Alec’s lips brush the skin of his neck absentmindedly, Magnus has to suppress a moan.

Fuck. He doesn’t know how long he can keep his composure if this keeps up like—

The blaring sound of his phone ringing cuts off his thoughts again, and Alec moves once more, but for a different reason. The peaceful expression of Alec’s face shifts too, brows creasing together as he stretches. A gritty, baritone groan parts from his lips as the phone’s chime stops.

Magnus lays perfectly still under his touch, practically frozen as Alec’s eyes flutter open, green and gold greeting him softly. A small, endearing half-smile finds itself across his lips.

“G’morning,” Alec whispers out, gently pressing his fingertips against the skin of Magnus’ hipbone again. The action sends a pleasant shiver up Magnus’ body despite the heat he feels pressed so close to Alec.

“M-Morning,” Magnus stutters as Alec presses closer. There’s a haze of desire in Alec’s eyes as he moves, pulling Magnus gently so that he lies practically on top of Alec.

Alec’s eyes never leave Magnus’ face, gazing over the dips and curves of his features while brushing the pad of his thumb against his cheekbones. “How’d you sleep?”

 _Perfectly. Amazingly. The best sleep I’ve had in years,_ Magnus thinks. “I slept alright,” he says instead. He lets a small smirk loose as he comes up to brush a long strand of hair out of Alec’s face. “You’re cute when you snore, by the way.”

Alec groans, letting his head fall back against the pillow and exposing the long column of his throat. “It’s not cute,” he retorts. “And I _don’t_ snore.”

Magnus chuckles, dipping down so that his mouth rests close to Alec’s ear. Alec goes still when Magnus’ lips barely graze the skin, a sharp gasp escaping his throat at the anticipation. With a smile, Magnus lets out a small, muffled snore.

Alec laughs then, loud and bright as he shoves at Magnus’ shoulders playfully. “Fuck off,” he laughs, the skin around his eyes crinkling as he smiles. His laughter soon subsides, caught up once more in Magnus’ expression, which is full of mirth and warmth. “ _You’re so beautiful,_ ” he whispers out.

Magnus blushes then. “Says the Greek god himself.”

Another bright smile spreads across Alec’s face at that, eyes flitting down to Magnus’ lips once more. It’s a silent question, one that Magnus answers with a gentle press of lips. Alec’s hands wind from where they held his hips to the small of his back. One kiss turns into two, then three and with each one, the heat simmering between them steadily builds. When Magnus’ tongue brushes the underside of Alec’s bottom lip, Alec moans, opening up to deepen the kiss between them.

Alec gasps when Magnus suddenly breaks the kiss to focus his attention on the column of his neck and that deliciously tantalizing skin all on display for him. “ _M-Magnus,_ ” he says breathlessly, hands gripping a bit tighter at Magnus’ back.

There’s a heat that builds in Magnus’ gut at the gasp of his name, desire bubbling up as he thinks of those hands reaching lower, grasping onto the swell of his ass. He groans at the thought, absentmindedly rocking his hips forward and—

The groan that pulls itself from Alec’s lungs is broken and fractured, breathless like he’s caught off guard with the action. On instinct, his hands trail lower, grazing against Magnus’ ass and squeezing in silent encouragement to continue. Magnus moans Alec’s name in response, rutting his hips once more against Alec’s, feeling his hard—

The loud, blaring sound of Magnus’ phone resounds in the room once more.

It startles the both of them, parting in a quick movement as they scramble at the source of the sound.

“W-What…What is that?” Alec pants out, looking over to the nightstand where Magnus’ phone rests.

Magnus sighs, rolling over so he’s no longer on top of Alec anymore. He reaches for his phone and silences the alarm. “It’s my alarm,” he explains.

Alec nearly shoots up from the bed. “Shit!” he yells out. “What time is it?”

Magnus glances at his phone. “Eight thirty.”

“ _Fuck,_ ” Alec curses. “Izzy is going to _kill_ me!”

Magnus gives a questioning look.

Alec sighs, running a hand through his hair, somehow messing up his already messy bed head. It still looks sexy and effortless, if Magnus is to be honest.

“I was supposed to meet with her and Jace this morning,” he explains. “We usually have a sibling breakfast at least once every two weeks, and Jace had been going on about how he really wanted the both of us there ‘cause he apparently had this big news and—” he cuts himself off. “And I’m late for it.”

Magnus’ shoulder slump, looking down to his lap still buried under the sheets. “I’m sorry,” he apologizes. “It was selfish of me to ask you to stay. I shouldn’t have—”

“ _Magnus,_ ” Alec interrupts, turning to take Magnus’ hand in his own. “Don’t ever apologize for this. You asked me to stay, and I did. I wanted to be with you.” He smiles fondly. “Besides…waking up with you this morning is probably the best morning I’ve had in a while.”

Magnus flushes at that, looking at their shared hands. He nods in agreement. “Me too.”

Alec leans forward, closing the space to press another tender kiss to Magnus’ lips. He pulls away a moment later, reaching for his phone on the nightstand. He must have had a charger—Magnus thinks—since there’s still life to it this morning.

“Oh man,” Alec says, eyes widening as he scrolls across the screen of his phone. From over his shoulder, Magnus can see the numerous amount of notifications flooding the lock screen. “Izzy really is going to be pissed.” With a deep breath, he opens the phone, dialing her number and pressing the phone to his ear. He reaches for Magnus’ hand again, intertwining their fingers together.

Magnus can’t help but smile at the action.

The call must go through, because Alec perks up. “Izzy—”

“ALEXANDER GIDEON LIGHTWOOD WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!”

Alec practically throws the phone across the room in retaliation to the loud voice booming from the other side of the phone. Magnus winces slightly, squeezing Alec’s hand in his lightly. The action causes Alec to look back at Magnus with another quick smile before pressing the phone back to his ear. “Look, Iz, I _know_ I’m late but—”

“But what?” Magnus can hear her still through the phone. He isn’t sure if she’s still yelling or if the volume on Alec’s phone is just turned up a little loudly. “What could you possibly be doing that is more important than this brunch we’ve had planned for weeks now?”

Alec opens his mouth to respond, but Magnus stops him. “I have an idea,” he whispers, drawing Alec’s other hand that holds the phone away from his ear. He presses the speaker button. “Well good morning to you too, Isabelle.”

There’s a strangled snort of laughter from Alec at Magnus’ words. He tries to stifle the laughter, but can’t help to let a giggle or too out, especially when Izzy responds.

“ _Oh,_ ” Izzy replies, dragging out the words far longer than necessary. There’s a teasing tone in her voice that Magnus picks up immediately. “That’s what—or rather who—you’re doing.”

“ _Izzy!_ ” Alec yells out.

“No, no, no, don’t worry about it. God knows you finally took the chance after pining for weeks over him. Did the date go well? Did you finally lose your—”

“ _Isabelle_ ,” Alec cuts in again in a warning tone. “He can still hear you.”

Magnus gives a questionable look, but Alec tears his gaze away before he can give too much away.

“I’m over at Magnus’ now, but if it isn’t too late, I can still meet you two for breakfast?” Alec asks. “I’d just have to change back at my place, but it’d take two minutes and—”

“Ooh great idea!” Izzy exclaims, seemingly talking to someone else on the other side of the phone. “Bring Magnus with you, Alec! Jace is dying to meet him.”

Alec lets out a long exhale, closing his eyes and hanging his head down defeatedly. “What did you tell him?”

“Jace? Oh nothing much. He just happened to hear from Simon about the two of you at work last week.”

Alec curses under his breath.

“So...?” Izzy prods questioningly.

“We’ll be there, darling, don’t you worry,” Magnus says for Alec. “And give my humblest apologies to your brother Jason for being late.”

Izzy laughs at his deliberate misuse of the name. “Alright Magnus, we’ll see you soon!”

She cuts off the call a second later, leaving Magnus and Alec back to the silence of the morning. Barely a moment after she ends the call, Alec lets out an audible groan, flopping back down against the mattress. “Please forgive my siblings. They’re a mess.”

Magnus scoots a bit closer to him, coming over and planting a hand on the other side of Alec’s body so he cages Alec in, hovering over him with an endearing smile. “I find them incredibly refreshing to be honest,” he confesses. “It’s obvious how much they care about you.”

Alec looks back up at Magnus, those bright hazel eyes gazing up at him like he’s the stars in the sky. “They’re incredibly nosy.”

“I noticed,” Magnus huffs. His smile falters a bit, a silent question forming itself across his face. “What did she mean by ‘losing’?”

“Huh?”

Magnus tilts his head. “Isabelle was asking if you had lost anything, but you cut her off and—”

Alec’s frame stills, a prominent blush blooming across his features. “T-That’s…” he looks away, hand coming up to scratch the scar on his eyebrow. “My sister is just being nosy.”

Magnus gives him a look, unsatisfied with the answer.

Alec tears his gaze away from Magnus, opting to instead look at Magnus’ collarbones that peek out under the collar of his shirt. “It’s just…I uh…” He closes his eyes, covering his face with his hands as he finally confesses, “I’ve never slept with anyone. Like…ever.”

Magnus blinks in surprise. “Like…'ever' ever?”

Alec snorts at the response, letting out a pathetic chuckle. “Yes, like ‘ever ever’.” He sighs, breaking away and forcing himself upright. Magnus pulls back to let Alec up from the bed, admiring the way the morning light bounces across the planes and muscles of his back.

“But you’re so…” Magnus threads his brows together. “You’re so confident and sure of yourself and—”

“And I’m secretly a mess behind closed doors,” Alec follows up, turning back towards Magnus. He’s flustered beyond compare, cheeks redder than Magnus has ever seen them. “I was so nervous when I  first saw you on the bus that day. You were so beautiful and when you stumbled and fell on me, I just—” He shakes his head. “After you left the interview, Izzy said I couldn’t stop gushing about you and how fantastic you are, and how your personality is so unique and brilliant and—”

Alec stops himself suddenly, realizing he’s rambling while also realizing he’s spilling every secret he’s kept about his feelings for Magnus. His eyes dart up from the edge of the bed to Magnus, wide and a bit scared.

“I mean…uh…”

Magnus shares the wide-eyed look. _Alec was nervous around him? He was talking to his siblings about him and gushing over him secretly?_ He blinks a couple of times. “Glad to know I’m not the only one who’s been gushing.”

And oh—Alec _really_ turns red at that.

Magnus can’t help but smile at that, seeing how embarrassed and flustered Alec gets under his compliments. “I mean, Catarina has been hearing _all_ about you. How handsome you look in a suit, how you tease with keeping that second button unbuttoned all the time. She knows about how selfless you are, how you do everything to make sure the company is alright, that the employees are happy and pleased…”

He trails off, having risen from the bed whilst talking and padding over to where Alec stands, still wide-eyed and flushed at him. Magnus can’t resist trailing his fingertips across the bare skin of Alec’s pectorals, eyes flitting up to meet his.

Alec swallows thickly. “I-Is that so?”

Magnus simply hums, winding his hand up around to the back of Alec’s neck and teasing lightly at the short strands there. He combs his fingers through the dark hair, pulling Alec closer and kissing him full on the mouth, languidly slotting his lips against Alec’s in a kiss that makes both their toes curl.

He pulls back just in time to see Alec lean in to chase his lips, a perfect dazed expression across his face. He smiles, tracing the edge of Alec’s bottom lip with his thumb. “Now…what do you say we go and make your siblings wish they hadn’t invited us to brunch?”

Alec can’t help but smile dopily. “Let’s do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come say hi over on twitter @the_biconic_mb or on tumblr @biconicmagnusbane :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec and Magnus have breakfast with the Lightwood siblings. Magnus may or may not be a little nervous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hOLY FUCK
> 
>  
> 
> it's been a damn hot second since i updated and i'M SO SORRY  
> inspiration really flew out the window after my last update and i just hadn't gotten any until today and wow i actually have cONTENT NOW THAT I CAN PLAN FOR  
> ITS A GODDAMN MIRACLE
> 
> so hOPEFULLY i can update this a little more frequently, though I am working on another WIP which will hopefully be posted in the next few weeks/month
> 
> enjoy the update!  
> ps if you're livetweeting, use the hashtag #LIBfic ! :)

‘A couple of minutes’ turns into half an hour by the time they finally make it out of Alec’s apartment.

As it turns out, Alec lives in the condominium just a block over. His loft is crisp and clean, with straight edges and dark finishes. It’s sleek and sharp, very much Alec.

They spend an embarrassing amount of time at Alec’s apartment. Magnus gets the tour and takes full advantage of the privacy of Alec’s roomy loft, pressing him to the wall and kissing him until they’re both drunk on each other. He leaves quite the impressive hickey on Alec’s hipbone before encouraging him to get dressed. Adorably flustered, Alec disappears into his room, taking a minute to change into the most sinfully tight t-shirt and dark wash jeans, accompanied by a stunning brown leather jacket. The fabrics hug him in all the right places, and Magnus has to make a grand effort to suppress his desires and not make them any later than they already are.

By the time they reach the small hole-in-the-wall breakfast café, Izzy and a blond man—who Magnus assumes to be Jace—are already sitting down at a table talking over coffee. Jace seems to immediately notice them as he nudges Izzy, who turns wearing a coy grin at their joined hands.

“Well hello boys,” she greets, rose red lips stretched up in a smile.

“Good morning, Isabelle,” Magnus replies, thankful that his voice doesn’t waver. He’s become good friends with Izzy over the course of working at Lightwood Fashions, but he also wasn’t dating Alec then. He doesn’t think their friendship would change but—

“Sorry we interrupted your morning sex, but it’s not like you gave us any warning,” Jace perks up, smiling up at Alec.

The both of them flush at that. “W-We didn’t—” Alec starts, but immediately cuts himself off with a scoff. “You two are way too invested in me getting laid.” He shakes his head, turning back to Magnus. “Maybe we should really dump them after all and go back to my place and—”

“Okay, okay!” Izzy interjects. “We’ll stop teasing. Promise.”

Alec gives them a doubtful look before rolling his eyes, leading Magnus over to the pair of empty chairs on the right side of the table. It’s quiet for a moment as they all settle, but it’s broken a second later when Izzy gives a harsh glare to Jace.

“Ow!” Jace yelps, glaring back at Izzy. There’s a silent conversation between the shifts in their expressions before Jace turns towards Magnus. “Hi, I don’t think I introduced myself. I’m Jace, Alec and Izzy’s brother.”

“I’m Magnus,” he smiles back, extending his hand to shake Jace’s. “Alexander’s boyfriend.”

The declaration earns wide eyes from everyone. Alec blushes crimson at the use of the title of ‘boyfriend’ and his full name. Izzy and Jace’s eyes meet once more before looking at Alec as if to see his reaction.

When Alec doesn’t respond in disdain, another teasing smirk crosses Izzy’s lips.

“Oh, _Alexander’s_ boyfriend,” she repeats, nudging Jace as she emphasizes Alec’s full name. She turns back to Magnus with a smile. “Well, I’m glad you could join us.”

“Glad for the invitation,” he replies.

“So Jace, what’s the big news?” Alec diverts, meeting Jace’s gaze. “It’s all you’ve been talking about for the past couple of weeks.”

Jace squirms in his seat a little bit, biting back a smile. He pauses before speaking, perhaps for a dramatic effect before he starts. “I proposed.”

Both Izzy and Alec go wide-eyed. “You proposed?!” Izzy squeals. “To Simon?!”

Jace nods excitedly. “Yeah, I did.”

“And?”

“And…” Jace trails off, grabbing his phone and handing it to Izzy, “Your brother is a very lucky man.”

Izzy squeals, jumping up and down in her seat as she looks at the phone. Alec gives his congratulations while Magnus leans over to see the pictures. Izzy turns the phone to him, swiping through a few photos of Jace’s proposal featuring some artsy book proposal.

“Simon is a book nerd at heart,” Jace explains. “So I took a book and blacked out all the words except for ’Will you marry me’ on the 217th page.”

Izzy _aws_ as she looks back to Magnus. “They started dating on February 17th, almost four years ago.” She looks back to Jace. “That’s so romantic. Who knew you had it in you?”

Jace chuckles at that, scratching the back of his head lightly.

Breakfast calms down after that, and they slip into casual banter about anything and everything. Magnus learns that Jace isn’t part of the fashion industry at all. Instead he owns a small coffee shop-slash-bookstore that he bought himself. Magnus makes a mental note to check it out.

He also learns more about the other two Lightwood siblings he works under. Izzy is as brilliant as they come, with wit and passion to spare. She gushes endlessly about how she got into fashion, how she broke away from her parent’s expectations to become a lawyer and make it big on the runway.

“Are your parents supportive of that decision?” Magnus asks.

And suddenly the table quiets and Magnus feels a sense of guilt building in his gut. Alec looks extremely pressed, given the way his hands ball into fists on top of the table.

Izzy gives a slight shrug accompanied by a solemn look. “They’re impartial,” she says. “Neither of them were quite happy with it, but Mom…Mom is trying her best to be supportive.”

Magnus looks down, apology ready at the tongue before Jace speaks up. “Our parents just wanted what was best for us,” he starts. “But what was best for us seemed to be better for them.” He looks to Alec and Izzy. “I’m proud of the both of them though. They’ve gone through hell and fire to build that company, and just _look at them_. They’re practically fashion royalty now.” He cracks a smile. “All of us are achieving our dreams. I’d like to think that something like that is something they can be proud of.”

Alec gives Jace smile, and a playful chuckle from his brother emerges as Alec kicks his foot lightly under the table. “Proposing really made you a softie, huh?” he jokes.

Jace chuckles, taking a sip of his orange juice. “Please, I was soft before. You guys just didn’t see it as often.”

“It looks good on you, Jace,” Isabelle perks up. “Honestly.”

Their brother beams under their support, biting his lip on a smile as he tucks his phone back into his jeans. After a minute, he perks back up. “Oh, Simon was telling me you guys are starting preparations for your next big line, right?”

Izzy and Alec both groan at the same time and Magnus feels the stress of work prickle at his spine.

“Don’t even get me started,” Izzy sighs out, rubbing at her temples. _Fashion_ magazine’s board approved our designs for their spring lineup, so now we’re having to fabricate the designs and Lana decided that her dress would look best in one of the most rare and expensive silks on the market, so we’re scrambling to get that before next week when the designs are due.”

“At least you don’t have to coordinate all the financial details of the deal,” Alec quips. “ _Fashion_ Magazine is a monster and this show is even more so. The amount of calls I’ve had to make to try and get people like Marc Jacobs and Michael Burke to attend are unbearable.” He scoffs. “You would not _believe_ how impossible it is to talk to their idiot assistants.”

Magnus feels for the both of them. He knows he has a deadline to meet before the show too, since Isabelle thought a couple of his designs were worthy enough to feature as a last-minute look to _Fashion_. He’s been working effortlessly with Clary through numerous fittings and endless hours with a sewing machine. The spring lineup is only two weeks away and all three of them are feeling the brunt of the work that comes with these next two weeks.

“Oof,” Jace seethes. “I can’t imagine the stress. The only stress I deal with is the occasional bratty soccer mom complaining about her coffee not being done within a ‘reasonable timeframe’,” he quotes. “Which, by the way is like...two minutes. And they always order a drink that takes at least five.”

“Consider yourself lucky, Jace. I’d kill to not talk to snot-nosed higher ups all day,” Alec retorts.

There’s another round of laughter from the table before Jace perks up again. “Well I wish you all the best of luck. This isn’t your first rodeo, and I know you’ve dealt with worse.” He gives a smile to everyone. “You’ve got this, trust me. It’ll be amazing.”

 

~~~~

 

Magnus’ keys jingle as he goes to unlock his office the next day. He had a pleasant day off with Alec and his family but is just as ready to get back into work so he doesn’t have to stress anymore about this deadline. The lock clicks and he pushes open the door to his office, sighing and flopping his briefcase on one of the chairs before circling over to his computer to see if there’s any pressing emails he has to attend to.

Just as he sits down, his eyes lock on a singular envelope sitting in the middle of his desk. It’s completely blank on the outside, and before he can think twice about it, he takes it into his hands and cuts it open, prying out the paper sealed within.

As he starts reading, his eyes widen. The hairs on his neck stand on edge.

In simple, unrecognizable typed font, the letter reads:

 

_Magnus Bane,_

_Don’t think that you are safe here. We know what you’ve done. Pull out of the fashion show, or else this information will make a public appearance in next week’s news._

 

With the letter are documents filled with information, the information he’s tried to hide and escape from since day one. His breath catches in his throat as he brings a shaking hand to his mouth.

Someone is targeting him.

And he has no clue who it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come and talk to me over on [twitter](https://twitter.com/the_biconic_mb)

**Author's Note:**

> come talk to me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/the_biconic_mb) or on [tumblr!](https://biconicmagnusbane.tumblr.com/)


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